GERD is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease. Does GERD cause any dental related problems? The answer is yes. There are several cases reported by pediatrics who have mentioned kids suffering from dental problems caused by GERD. These problems are bad breath, cavities, and erosion of enamel. Children who suffer from GERD also generally have vomiting, which puts them at high risk of tooth erosion.
In GERD, the acidic stomach contents are pushed back up in esophagus and mouth. The contents in the stomach are acted upon by hydrochloric acid. This acid is then pushed back up causing a burning feeling in the esophagus and results in severe discomfort. This acid is the culprit causing tooth erosion if left untreated. Since it is a strong acid, it can cause removal of the enamel at a fast rate.
The acid can quickly erode the enamel from the teeth close to the tongue. Let us see the different aspects that can cause dental problems in children suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Poor nutrition because of GERD can lead to softer teeth. Children who snack on a frequent basis might prevent GERD symptoms but this can lead to tooth decay.
Children who suffer from GERD prefer eating carbohydrate rich diet. This carbohydrate rich starchy diet increases the risk of the food sticking to the teeth and in turn acted upon by bacteria leading to tooth decay. Another aspect that speeds up the tooth decay is the sugary content of the GERD medications. There are some medications that decrease the production of saliva, which causes the dry mouth symptoms leading to tooth decay and bad breath.
There was a study conducted on children who were suffering from GERD and it was found that increased numbers of children did not like brushing teeth. It was due to the sensitivity of their teeth due to the acid brash. A lot of the children stated that they do not like the taste of the toothpaste and hence were not brushing their teeth as effectively as they should.
Many parents prefer that the kids must use pacifier to have a constant production of saliva but this again puts this to a question where it can cause malalignment of the teeth. There are also chances that the kids are suffering from many other medical illnesses and that the dental problems remain unaddressed in most cases because of financial constraints, etc. One check that must be kept in mind before visiting the dentist is the fact that any gag reflux can again lead to vomiting and exposing the teeth to the stomach acid.
You must have a detailed conversation with the pediatrician to know the best options that you have to treat your child’s GERD problems. You can also consult with the pediatrician to know the best times when you can take your child to visit a dentist. Some of the steps that you can take is to ask your child to brush teeth after meals. You must make the tooth brushing fun for your kids.
Remember that the pediatrician and the dentist will be working as a team. Therefore you must ask them to stay in contact so that your child gets the best health care.
